First Grown Up Job Guide: Moving on From a Mistake

Making a mistake at work can feel like the end of the world. All of a sudden a simple blunder can seem catastrophic, possibly career-ending (even though it rarely is).

If you’ve had a slip-up at work, take a deep breath, don’t panic and read our guide for moving on.

Fess up

You don’t need to announce ”I screwed up” over the staff intercom or send an all-office email. Simply let your boss and anyone else who may be affected by the mistake know that it has happened. Apologise and state that you understand why you failed. This demonstrates that you’re willing to move on from your mistakes. Be genuine and sincere, it will go a long way.

Come with a game plan

You will need to come up with a plan to rectify your mistake and present it to your boss. This will reassure them that you are working on a solution and will also demonstrate your problem-solving capabilities. Have a plan B and C in mind too just in case they are not a fan of your original suggestion.

Get some perspective

Mistakes happen every single day and unless you’re a doctor or firefighter, no one is going to die if you screw up at work.

Of course, you want to put your best foot forward in a new career but remember that you’re human and humans mess up all the time. Just ask your coworkers, they probably have some horror stories of their own.

Shut up

Once you’ve apologised to the main people involved and done your best to rectify the situation you then need to move on. No one likes a workplace martyr. Mistakes happen every single day, don’t spend a whole week dwelling on one little hiccup. Instead, you should put your energy into more productive things like acing your next project.

Work hard

Remember the old nugget, ”This too shall pass.” The final step in moving on from a mistake is to work hard in order to earn your colleagues’ trust. You need to show your team just how dedicated you really are. In a few weeks, no one will even remember.